He's still remodeling himself - with a sustained mix of disbelief and gratitude - as a country musician.

"It's a breath of fresh air," said Covington, who continued working in his dad's Rockingham, N.C., body shop while placing eighth during the 2006 season of "American Idol." "It's a dream that's come true. Being a country musician. Being accepted by country music fans. It's absolutely awesome.

"I'd be doing a red-carpet interview. Then I'd get a golden ticket back and be in the body shop painting cars and smoking Marlboro Lights."

Covington, 34, has learned about show business the hard way. His post-"American Idol" debut album hit big in 2007. His follow-up CD finally escapes limbo in, maybe, September - five years later.

He'll include some songs from it - "I Wanna Be That Feeling," his current single and video, among them - Saturday at the Stockton Asparagus Festival. His five-piece band includes identical twin Rocky, a drummer, singer and road manager who's three minutes younger. Bucky sings and plays guitar.

Rocky didn't make it through preliminary "American Idol" auditions in Greensboro, N.C. Bucky did and embarked on a disorienting eight-week odyssey between West Hollywood red carpets and greasy rural work mats at Covington's Body Shop in Rockingham.

"I remember how amazing, great and awesome things were," Covington said from his 90-acre farm in Gallatin, Tenn. "It's a competition for amateurs. That's why the world likes the show. The hardest thing is you're looked at like Tim McGraw. You're so nervous you're never able to give more than 80 percent."

The aftermath was just as huge. His self-titled debut album moved right in at No. 1 on the country charts. His first three singles made it to country's top 10.

"People started to see me as a country music star," he said. "It was like getting a good report card."

Admittedly naive and eager - but lacking show-biz savvy - Covington flunked himself in other crucial areas. He knew almost nothing about managers, publicists, recording techniques and other logistics.

"I've gotta be honest," Covington said. "The way I came in is a lot different from other people. They kinda come in with big steps. Mine were small steps. The thing about small steps is you're learning. I just educated myself."

One big thud sent him reeling. The Disney Company closed Lyric Street Records just as Covington was completing his second album.

"First it hit me," Covington said. " 'Now what the hell do I do?' I didn't know the business. I didn't know the next step. You can't go looking for another label 'til you finish up what you're doing. That's a big hangup."

Covington touched up his second recording: . "To be dead honest, when this album ('I'm Alright') was about to come out, I did not like it. It was a good album but not Bucky Convington. Now, it's Bucky Covington up and down. I'm super-duper proud of this album. It's very high energy with the feel of a rock show."

He "test drove" it in a blue Jeep Wrangler on his farm, where he rides dirt bikes and four-wheelers. A former dirt-bike racer, he's an avid NASCAR fan. Of course.

Born William Joel Covington III in Rockingham, he started playing trumpet and French horn in sixth grade: "Then I realized chicks don't dig guys with French horns. They like guitars."

Dad Gene ran the body shop and was a motocross racer. Mom (Debbie Gates) was a secretary. He and Rocky (Robert David) "started getting serious" about music at 17.

A guitar and amplifier replaced his karaoke machine and soccer. A series of brotherly bands schooled him in a stylistic range from Godsmack and Rage Against the Machine to Tim McGraw and Gary Allen. That helped him handle those "American Idol" cover tunes.

Hurricane Katrina relief had caused the 2005 "Idol" auditions to move from Memphis to Greensboro. Covington couldn't make the 24-hour round trip to Tennessee. Greensboro was just an hour away. At 26, it would be his last chance: "I took that as a sign. Now I have to do it."

Now on a smaller label (eOne), his girlfriend (Katherine Cook) is his publicist. He doesn't let any "American Idol" artistic stigma bother him: "Some people form an opinion before they hear you or know you. It's as hard to change opinions as it is to form opinions. I just have a ball and keep learning."